Self-Guided Walk (45 min)

the path of hope and healing

We would like to enhance your pilgrimage by providing you with background information on everything you will experience on the path.
You will find the information for each stop below – or if your internet connection is not stable, you can download it as a PDF and read it along the way.

By reading the booklet you can also personalize the Path of Hope and Healing just for you!

To help us maintain and care for Diamond Mountain, we suggest a donation of $15 per person.

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Walk the Path with Google Maps

Please click on the numbers for more information

1) Welcome to Diamond Mountain and the Medicine Buddha Pilgrimage

Diamond Mountain soil is witness to both strife and healing. Here, people come to touch divinity and seek healing, escape, redemption, isolation, and joy.

 

The sky sings.
The clouds tell stories.
The rain nourishes and calms.
The earth rises up to embrace eight marble Medicine Buddhas snaking up a hill waiting to engage, converse and connect with you. In these mountains, there is a pathway to healing and hope.

 

Make your way to the land on which the Native Americans of these territories lived and were led by the rebel healer, Geronimo. Where the Dharma has been taught and shared for decades. A place of old orchards and ongoing healing of the land. A haven for animals where life is protected, and pain soothed.

 

This Diamond earth offers healing, protection, and pilgrimage to the Medicine Buddhas.

ALL RIVERS FLOW TO THE SAME OCEAN

WE WELCOME EVERYONE
AT DIAMOND MOUNTAIN
INDEPENDENT OF YOUR
RELIGION OR SPIRITUAL BELIEFS.
WHEN WE REFER TO THE BUDDHA
OR ENLIGHTENMENT, FEEL FREE
TO REPLACE THIS WITH WHATEVER
YOU MIGHT USE IN YOUR PRACTICE.
FOR EXAMPLE, JESUS, MARY,
MOHAMMED, SHIVA, LADY OF
GUADALUPE, PROPHETS, SAINTS,
THE UNIVERSE, ETC.
WHILE WE ARE DEDICATED TO
BUDDHISM, OUR HEARTS AND MINDS
REMAIN OPEN TO WHATEVER
BRINGS YOU HOPE AND HEALING.

Medicine Buddha Pilgrimage

The Medicine Buddha Marble Stupa Project is an audacious and ambitious project to create a pilgrimage destination for people to focus on bringing healing and peace to themselves, their relationships, and the world through ancient wisdom.

This project encompasses taking marble from the neighboring marble quarry and creating seven unique and magnificent stupas that each honor the Medicine Buddhas. There are several “Medicine Buddhas” —seven plus one, in fact. The eighth is Shakyamuni Buddha, the historical Buddha of our era—who taught us the Dharma. These Stupas will be connected by a pilgrimage path all the way up McCullough peak!

A pilgrimage is a sacred journey, undertaken for a spiritual purpose. Pilgrimages frequently involve a journey or search for moral or spiritual significance. It is a search for meaning, purpose, values, or truth (and in this sense, like life). One of the most important reasons for going on pilgrimages and seeing places of spiritual importance is to meet other seekers who follow a spiritual path and see how they live.

Pilgrimage usually entails some separation (alone or in a group) from the everyday world of home. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person’s beliefs and faith. Pilgrims are different from tourists: they travel for spiritual reasons, not just to relax or for fun.

We fully believe in the potential of every person to transform his or her life through compassion, wisdom, and meditation. The Medicine Buddha pilgrimage is an unparalleled opportunity to do this!

2) Buddhist Temple

WHAT IS THIS

Temples in Buddhism represent the pure land or pure environment of a Buddha. Traditional Buddhist temples are designed to inspire inner and outer peace.

 

WHY IS IT HERE

We believe in meditation retreat as a way to help all people achieve their personal, spiritual, and professional goals. In 2002, a modern group of pioneers came to Diamond Mountain in search of inner treasures: a clear, disciplined mind and an open heart. Their dream was to give anyone who sought a balanced, meaningful life the opportunity to explore their possibilities in the ideal setting, with all the guidance they need. After 15 years the initial vision has actualized. The founders created a place both comfortable and peaceful, remote but accessible, where people from all walks of life can be fully supported in their quest for insight.

 

HOW DO I INTERACT

  • Temple étiquette
  • Wear appropriate clothing
  • No shoes are to be worn inside.
  • Special books should be kept off the floor.
  • Sit with your legs crossed on the floor (or on a chair if that is more comfortable for you), and do not straighten out your legs (this is a sign of disrespect, so it is lying down).
  • If you feel comfortable you may bow to the statue of Buddha and make offerings (incense and flowers are typical)
  • Sit down for a moment and contemplate.

 

CONTEMPLATE

Why are you here? What do you want to heal? Consider your health, relationships, and things that you might find difficult or painful. What are you hoping for by going on a
pilgrimage?

3) Prayer Wheel

 

WHAT IS THIS

A prayer wheel is a cylindrical wheel (Tibetan: འཁོར་ལོ།, ‘khor lo) on a spindle made from metal, wood, stone, leather, or coarse cotton, widely used in Tibet and areas where Tibetan culture is predominant. Traditionally, a mantra is written in Ranjana script or Tibetan script, on the outside of the wheel. The mantra Om mani padme hum is most commonly used, but other mantras may be used as well.
At the core of the cylinder is a “life tree” often made of wood or metal with certain mantras written on or wrapped around it. Many thousands (or in the case of larger prayer wheels, millions) of mantras are then wrapped around this life tree. According to the Tibetan Buddhist tradition based on the lineage texts regarding prayer wheels, spinning such a wheel will have much the same meritorious effect as orally reciting the prayers.

 

WHY IS IT HERE

This prayer wheel was donated to Diamond Mountain and installed at the temple.

 

HOW DO I INTERACT

Spin it clockwise!!
The spiritual method for those practicing with a prayer wheel is very specific (with slight variations according to different Buddhist schools). The practitioner most often spins the wheel clockwise, as the direction in which the mantras are written is that of the movement of the sun across the sky. Diamond Way practitioners spin prayer wheels counterclockwise on rare occasions to manifest more powerful protective energy.

 

CONTEMPLATE

Think about those in your life whom you love deeply. Spin the wheel and send
good wishes! Imagine those wishes flying out into the world and reaching your
loved ones. See them smile and be filled with joy.

4) Memorial Garden

WHAT IS THIS

Dealing with the loss of a loved one is a challenge that nearly everyone will experience during his or her lifetime. While the only way to heal from a loss is with time, creating a memorial garden in honor of your loved one is an inspirational way to pay tribute to their life while giving you a quiet place to remember your loved one.

Plants in the Memorial Garden are:

  • Velvet Mesquite
  • Desert Willows
  • Greg’s Mistflower
  • Salvia lemmonii
  • Mexican Bird of Paradise

 

WHY IS IT HERE

One of the most important things to keep in mind when healing from a loss is to resist the urge to suppress your feelings and to let yourself ride the waves of grief as they come and go. Since this is a painful task, creating a memorial garden will give you a peaceful place to retreat to when working through these waves of emotion. Even the very act of building and maintaining your garden will help keep the mind focused on something beautiful and symbolic while you deal with your grief in a constructive way. The garden is a quiet place to visit, reflect and remember.

 

HOW DO I INTERACT

The memorial garden in Diamond Mountain, kindly donated by Aronov Family is intended to help you to deal with your grief in a constructive way. And maybe you are inspired to create your own at home.

 

CONTEMPLATE

Think about the good qualities of a person who has always been a role model for you. They can be alive or passed. Reflect on their qualities and how they impacted your life for the better. Feel a sense of gratitude for having met them and their contribution to your life.

5) A Bell, Stupa & Tara

 

WHAT IS THIS

The stupa (“stupa” is Sanskrit for heap) is an important form of Buddhist architecture, though it predates Buddhism. It is generally considered a sepulchral monument—a burial place or a receptacle for religious objects. At its simplest, a stupa is a dirt burial mound faced with stone. It usually houses sacred relics associated with the Buddha or other saintly persons and comes in many shapes and forms.
There are five types of stupas: Relic stupas, Object stupas, Commemorative stupas, Symbolic stupas, and Votive stupas. A stupa is thought to bring enlightenment to the one who builds it and gets to visit it! No matter which one you see, remember that it is a huge blessing to interact with such a beautiful structure.

 

WHY IS IT HERE

This was the first Stupa built at Diamond Mountain. It was restored in 2021.

 

HOW DO I INTERACT

It is traditional and customary to circumambulate or walk around the stupa several times in a clockwise direction. Circumambulation is a devotional practice, and Buddhists circumambulate to show devotion, pay tribute, cultivate their minds, and accumulate merit…feel free to give it a try!

 

CONTEMPLATE

While circumambulating the Stupa (or simply standing and looking at it), consider who or what in your life gives you the feeling of security and being helped? Perhaps a person, a prayer, or an activity. Think of how these people or activities bring you a sense of refuge and peace.

6) Native American Medicine Wheel & Garden

 

WHAT IS THIS

To the Native Americans, medicine is energy, a vital force inherent in nature itself. Many ancient cultures around the world use this system.
The inner circle indicates the “source”, a representation of the mind of Wakan-Tanka – the Great Everything – and of the coming into the self of the wisdom of the creation mind of All That Is.
A medicine wheel traditionally has four directional quadrants, each filled with healing plants for the body, spirit and emotions. The medicine wheel is made of a set of stones or symbols in the form of an encircled cross. The perimeter of the circle is marked by eight outer stones which represent powers in the universe to be brought into harmonious balance. Two stones are placed in each of the four cardinal directions between the inner and outer circle. These four arms represent the Four Great Paths.

 

WHY IS IT HERE

As another four-step plan to remedy wrongs done in the settlement of this area, we at Diamond Mountain with the Ancestors of Forgotten Past have created a Medicine Wheel Herb Garden.

 

HOW DO I INTERACT

Admire the subtle beauty of these plants – notice that their inherent power does not show on the outside.

 

CONTEMPLATE

Is there anything you need to admit that you have done wrong in the past to be able to heal? Do you want or need to apologize to anybody to set your mind at ease? You can do this in your mind or, if you feel compelled, reach out to that person.

7) Demonstration Garden

WHAT IS THIS

Bear Springs Ecological Restoration Plan – Site 1
The Bear Springs habitat is a high desert ecosystem with historically notable biodiversity that has been damaged by human activities. The five-part plan is designed to remedy the effects of these activities: erosion, soil degradation, species reduction, lowered aquifers and stress on ecologies. What you see here are site specific catchment models based on slope angles and contours, to slow rainwater as it falls for maximum local absorption. The designs keep soil in place and stop erosion, and catch organic leaf material that rebuilds soil vitality and protection from wind and heat. Irrigated and planted paths with interpretive signage at Site 1 will illustrate results and provide education for model emulation.

Plants in the Memorial Garden are:

Diamond Mountain wants to restore the ecosystem to a pre-colonization state and give all the animals their natural habitat back. The Demonstration garden shows this, and we hope that all the measurements like berms, dams, and seeding will have the same effect in the long term.

 

WHY IS IT HERE

Diamond Mountain wants to restore the ecosystem to a pre-colonization state and give all the animals their natural habitat back. The Demonstration garden shows this, and we hope that all the measurements like berms, dams, and seeding will have the same effect in the long term.

 

HOW DO I INTERACT

Learn about the plants that are native to the area.

 

CONTEMPLATE

What have you done in the past to heal and give hope to others? Be happy about the simple fact that you have made somebody else’s life better. Imagine their smile and the happiness you have given them.

8) The Wash

WHAT IS THIS

A wash is also known as an arroyo (/əˈrɔɪoʊ/; from Spanish arroyo Spanish: [aˈroʝo], “brook”), and is a dry creek, stream bed, or gulch that temporarily or
seasonally fills and flows after sufficient rain. Together with Border Land Restoration (BLR) and Skyharvest, Diamond Mountain received a grant to restore the land and
stop erosion in Diamond Mountain by slowing water down.

 

WHY IS IT HERE

 It is a natural occurrence.

 

HOW DO I INTERACT

Walk along it carefully and look out for the next stop.

 

CONTEMPLATE

Nothing in life lasts forever – neither good nor bad. Water, the source of life, rushes down this riverbed, and then it dries up. It shows us how nature and our life are
constantly changing. What might you accept rather than fight against? Think about the cycles of your life and how you might do things differently.

9) Fire Ceremony Site

WHAT IS THIS

As with many ancient traditions (Hindu, Aboriginal, First Nations/Native Americans), fire is used in ritual practices that relate to healing and purification. In Buddhism, we have fire ceremonies with every full moon called Sojong. During formal retreats, there may be special fire pits built for burning ritual offerings.

 

WHY IS IT HERE

This particular site is used during the full moon by guests, volunteers, and staff to sit together to do a two part ceremony. The first is to celebrate what they have practiced successfully and then to reflect and show remorse for harmful actions while committing to better practice and actions in the future.

 

HOW DO I INTERACT

Slow down and contemplate how you have brought joy and healing to those around you today and how you might ‘do better’ in the future.

 

CONTEMPLATE

Fire is both the great destroyer and a source of life from which something new can emerge. What is something in your life that you can let go of and replace with something more healing?

11) The Apaches

WHAT IS THIS

Welcome to Apache Holy Ground! You will see four poles marking a square and bordered by four cactus planted in the four directions. This ground was chosen and
blessed by local San Carlos Apache Religious Practitioners when they were invited by students of Diamond Mountain in 2005. Throughout millennia holy grounds have never been situated within populated communities, so this place was perfect. The purpose for Native American Holy Grounds is to serve as an outside church where Apache gather to pray. The prayers are songs, like hymns, to the Heavenly Father and all directions, drummed by four drummers while the others dance. Many Apache have frequented this consecrated ground, with the women dressed in colorful camp dresses, and prayers sung in the Apache language. Native American religious and spiritual leaders have led ceremonies and classes at Diamond Mountain for hundreds of Diamond Mountain visitors.

 

WHY IS IT HERE

 At Diamond Mountain, we put into action what we learn in Buddhist scriptures. In order to see transformations towards peace and happiness, we work to clear collective past harmful actions and get beyond obstacles created by those past harmful actions. While past collective actions can define our current situation, when we act individually with kindness and compassion, we purify collective, historically harmful actions. As part of the process, Diamond Mountain acknowledges those actions with a more truthful telling of local history, in order to apply remedies and promote compassion with all People and Lands in all worlds. It’s time to learn about our obligations and opportunities as guests in this territory.

 

HOW DO I INTERACT

Take a moment to contemplate the first peoples of this land. Please refrain from walking into the center of this structure and keep to the outside. It is considered sacred ground by the local Apache tribes and should not be recorded nor pictures be taken.

 

CONTEMPLATE

You are not an island. Whose shoulders are you standing on? In your business, in your family, in your community? Think about the people who have come before you and those who have made your life possible as it is now. Take a moment to appreciate and acknowledge the role they have played.

12) Supari Kīrtita Nāma Śrī Rāja. Good Name.

WHAT IS THIS

Supari Kirti / Good Name made eight pledges that turned him into a kind of superhero. By keeping these pledges and working towards these goals, he eventually turned into an Enlightened Being. Below is a list of the pledges he practiced, taking one small action per day.

Pledges:

  1. Stop sickness
  2. Stop blindness & such
  3. Stop hurting others to get hat you want
  4. Stop poverty
  5. Stop imprisonment
  6. Stop fear
  7. Stop conflict
  8. Stop danger to travelers

Source: The Two Sutras of the Medicine Buddha, translated by Dr. Eric Wu, Yan Tang & Geshe Michael Roach

 

WHY IS IT HERE

These Stupas will be connected by a pilgrimage path all the way up McCullough peak! You are standing at the first of seven Medicine Buddha Marble Stupas and it’s named Good Name or Supari Kirti. This Stupa is built from donations from Taiwan Sangha members – you will see their names to honor them on a large plaque as you come up the hill.

 

HOW DO I INTERACT

It is traditional and customary to circumambulate or walk around the stupa several times in a clockwise direction. Circumambulation is a devotional practice, and Buddhists circumambulate to show devotion, pay tribute, cultivate their minds, and accumulate merit…feel free to give it a try. While you do this, contemplate.

 

CONTEMPLATE

While reading the pledges of Good Name, maybe one speaks to you and you want to incorporate it into your life. Or, you may want to come up with your own one. Imagine one small action you can take today to live up to that pledge.

Je Tsongkhapa Center & Library

WHAT IS THIS

Je Tsongkhapa (1357–1419) is a well-known Tibetan religious philosopher. In his iconic form, wearing a tall yellow hat, he is the center of the Gelugpa (Tib. dge lugs pa) tradition. Also known as Je Rinpoche Lobsang Drakpa, Je Tsongkhapa was perhaps the single greatest commentator in the 2,500-year history of Buddhism. He was born in the district of Tsongka in eastern Tibet and took his first vows at a tender age. As a teenager, he had already mastered much of the teachings of Buddhism and was sent by his tutors to study at the great monasteries of Central Tibet. Here he studied under the leading Buddhist scholars of his day; it is said as well that he enjoyed mystic visions in which he met and learned from the different forms of the Buddha himself. The 18 volumes of Tsongkapa’s collected works contain eloquent and incisive commentaries on virtually every major classic of ancient Buddhism, as well as his famous treatises on the “Steps of the Path to Buddhahood.” His students contributed hundreds of their own expositions of Buddhist philosophy and practice. All of the teachings in the ACI archives are derived directly or indirectly from his writings and those of his students.

 

WHY IS IT HERE

The center was built in 2014 in his honor. Inside, you will see pictures depicting his life and teachings. This building was built with the support of a generous donor – see if you can find the plaque that celebrates him!

 

HOW DO I INTERACT

Come inside! Feel free to sit down, get a refreshment, read a book from the library, chat with a staff member or volunteer, take time to journal, ask as many questions as you like, or connect with other visitors.

Future and Final Vision for the Project

The Big Dipper has been deeply involved in many philosophies. It is in the shape of a spoon and the direction of the handle corresponds to the seasons on Earth. The line connecting the two stars in the spoon head points to the eighth star, Polaris, representing the Shakyamuni Buddha. Stars in the northern hemisphere rotate around Polaris.

The seven Medicine Buddhas have seven spectral colors. They surround the Polaris, the Shakyamuni Buddha. The seven Stupas are arranged according to the shape of the Big Dipper. We hope to have a temple near the top of the mountain.

The Big Dipper in the sky, the Big Dipper on the ground at Diamond Mountain, and human beings correspond with each other. The seven stupas are the Dharmakaya
of the seven Medicine Buddhas, which connect with the paradises of the seven Medicine Buddhas and bless the whole world. If they reside at Diamond Mountain, it symbolizes that Diamond Mountain will be a spiritual practice center and place of hope and healing in the world.

For more information on the progress of the Stupa project visit www.diamondmountain.org/stupa-updates/

Please support our vision of hope and healing.

Dedication

By the goodness
Of what we have just done
May all beings

Complete the collection
Of merit and wisdom,

And thus gain the two
Ultimate bodies
That merit and wisdom make

We would like to thank our generous donors around the world. In addition, we are grateful for the support of Line and Space, D.O. Ward’s Custom Builders, Inc. , Cochise Marble, and everyone who has made this project possible.

We especially honor Dr. Eric Wu for his inspiration and vision.

We pay tribute to our Teacher, Geshe Michael Roach, for his guidance, encouragement and blessings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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